Funeral-coach.



B. LAWSON, 1R

FUNERAL COACH.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 1912.

1,149,161 P atentedAug. 3,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

B. LAWSON, JR.

FUNERAL COACH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 1912.

1,149,161. Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-' Toallwhom it may concern:

BELLnTT Lawson,

JR, 013 RIVER GROVE, ILLINOIS,

SSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES P. SHERLOCK, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FUNERAL-COACH.

Be it known that I, BELLETT Lawson, r.,

' a citizen of the Unitedv States of'America,

and resident of River Grove, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a. certain new and useful Improvement in Funeral-Coaches, of

- which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to funeralcoaches in general, but more particularly to those in which provlsion is made for carryingboth passengers and casket, and especially'those which are self-propelled.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to provide a novel and satisfactory funeralcoach for use in carrying both passengers and casket to the cemetery or place of interment, having the dignity and characteristics essential for a hearse, and 'yet suitable for passenger service'both going and coming.

Special objects areto provide a coach of this character in which the casket is dis posed'lengthwise'at the forward end there of; to provide a comparatively large seatingcapacitywithin arelatively small space at the rear of the closed compartment set aside forthe casket; andto provide certain details and features ofconstruct'ion tending to make a coach of this kind'conform as tion consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' is a side elevation of afuneralcoach-embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the interior of said coach. Fig. 3 is a frontend View of said coach. Fig. 4: is a rear end view ofsaid coach. Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal vertical, section through the lower casket compartmentfand upper flower space at the forward end of said coach. 1

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a body A having rear propelling wheels B and front steering wheelsC. The said body is constructed with front doors a leading to a casket compartment a, in which the casket may rest lengthwise of the direc tion of travel, which conforms .to the preferred custom. The space af above said casket compartment a is reserved for flowers. A full height space or compartment a is located at the left-hand side of the casket Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915 Application filed April 6, 1912. Serial No. 688,873.

compartment, and is provided with a drivers seat a and steering wheel a at the front. At the rear of this space a a seat a and desk a are providedfor the undertaker and minister; Behind the compartments a and at. there is a large passenger compartment a provided with cross seats a facing toward each other, arrangedin pairs, and with side doors a which afford ingress and egress for the members of the funeral party.

,Side steps a. are provided for said doors,

and the compartment a has a side doora at the left hand side of the coach. The

coach thus constructed is driven by elec-.

batteries E under the seats a in the rear passenger compartment.

Thusit will be seen that by my invention I provide a commodious and yet compact vehicle for use in conducting funerals. The coach is suitable for use going and coming that is, for carrying the funeral party to and from the cementery- The construction and location of the motive power makeslit possible to have the casket compartment in front, and in this way the casket is always lengthwise of the coach, andwith the foot thereof in front. This, as stated, is in accordance with thecustom which is averseto having the casket extend crosswise. Consequently, my invention conforms very closely tothe ideas of long standing on this subject.

The casket'compartment ais, of course,

inclosed all around, and the'flower compartabove said casket compartment, inclosed all around with glass, separated from said passenger compartment, together with a drivers space at one side of said casket compartment and flower space.

2. A funeral coach comprising a body 'nently provided at the forward end thereof with a casket compartment inwhich the casket is disposed longitudinally of the coach,'a door for said compartment, a passenger compartment in rear of said casket compartment, a fixed wall permanently separating said compartments, .means for driving said coach, andaflower space above said casket compartment, inclosed all around, separated from said passenger compartment, together with an inclosed drivers spaceat one side of w said casket compartment and flower space. v 1

A i-funerall coach comprising a body provided at the forward end thereof with a casket compartment in which the casket is 1 disposed longitudinally of the coach, a door :for thefrontend of said compartment, a

passenger compartment in rear of said casket compartment, and a flower space .above said casket compartment, inclosed all around -w-ith glass, separated from .said apassenger compartment, together with a I -drivers space 1 at onenside of said casket qspace having arear opening into said passenger compartment.

compartment andvflower space, said drivers A. A funeral .coach comprising a body provided at the forward end'thereof with a asket compartment inwhich' the casket is disposed longitudinally of. --the coach, an

outside door for said compartment, a passenger compartment, a fixed wall-permaseparating said compartments, means 'fordriving said coach, and a flower space'abovesaid casket compartment, inclosed all around, separated from said pas- .-.senger compartment, together with a driv- "ers space at oneside of said casket compartment andflowerspace, said drivers space having a re'ar opening into said passenger compartment atone side of the longitudinal center line of-the :GOELCh. I I

5.-A funeral coach comprising a body provided at the forward end thereof with a casket-compartment in which the casket is (fopies of this patent may be obtained for and drivers space being the same as the width of said passenger compartment.

6. A funeral coach comprising a body provided at the forward end thereof with a casket compartment in which the casket is disposed longitudinally of the coach, an outer door for said compartment, afiording access to said compartment from the street, a passenger compartment in rear of said casket compartment, and a flower space above said casket com-partment, inclosed-all around, separated from said apas senger compartment, together with a driversispace atone sldeofsaid casket compartment and flower space, said passenger compartment extending the I full width of theubody, and having entrance and exit doors only atiflthe V opposite sides thereof.

7. -A funeral coach comprising :av body a casket compartment in whichthe casket is disposed longitudinally ,ofwthe coach -a door for thefront end; of said compartment, a passenger compartmentv in rear of sald casket compartment, an'daflow'enspace above said casket -compartment, inclosed; all

around withoglass, separated from said; g-passenger compartment, together with a driv- 'ers space at one sideof said casket com' provided at the forward end thereof with Q partment and fiower space, said.,1drivers spacehaving a side door, andseats injsaid drivers space, one of said seats separating the drivers space from the passenger compartment. r

-8. A funeral coach comprising a body provided at the forward end, thereof with a casket compartment-in whichthe casket is disposed longitudinally-of the coach, at the right hand side'thereof a door forsaid rear ofsaid casket compartment, =and.-a flower space above SZLIdLCELSkGt compartment, inclosed all -around, separatedfrom said passenger compartment, together with a drivers space at the .left of-said casket compartment and flower space,. said drivers space havinga side door, and seatsin said drivers space, one of-asaid seats separating the drivers space from the passenger compartment, andsaid passenger compartment being in communicationwith said drivers space above. saidseat. I

Signed byme at Chicago Illinoisthisfird day of April 1912. v a

r BJELLELTv LAWSON, .J R. Witnesses:

J. NORBY, 'E. H. CLEee.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I'atenfs', Washington, D. vG.

compartment, a passenger lcompartmentuin V 

